SIX veteran justices of the peace (JPs) who have collectively served in southern Trelawny for almost 200 years were honoured during a glitzy ceremony hosted by the Albert Town Zone of the Trelawny Association of Lay Magistrates in that town last week.

Among the half dozen who received accolades for their outstanding services, was 92-year-old businessman Kenneth Grant, who for the past 47 years has provided exemplary services as a justice of the peace to the citizens of Albert Town and surrounding communities.

The awards list was completed by George Bromfield (Troy), Caswell Bartley (Warsop), James Dunbar (Ulster Spring), Clovis Stewart (Battersea) and Albert Levy (Ulster Spring).

Bromfield, Bartley, Dunbar and Stewart were all recognised for 40 years of service respectively, while Levy was acknowledged for 27 years.

The long-serving justices of the peace were feted and presented with plaques during a ceremony held at the Ataurus Club, nestled in the Albert Town commercial hub.

During, the function, which was the brainchild of Chairman of the Albert Town Zone of the Trelawny Association of Lay Magistrates Kenneth Grant Jnr, there were glowing tributes for the six, especially for Grant Snr — the longest serving JP among the lot.

Born in the farming community of Spring Garden, Trelawny, on December 26, 1924, Kenneth Hugh Grant Snr attended the Albert Town Elementary School before moving on to the Kingston Technical High School.

After high school he was recruited to work in the USA on the Farm Work Programme at the age of 19. On his return to the island he ventured into business.

Appointed as a JP for Trelawny in 1968, he also served as a member of the Albert Town Zone of the Trelawny Association of Lay Magistrates and continues to give advice to new JPs on their roles and functions.

Sheila Ricketts, Pastor of the Albert Town Apostolic Church, in bringing greetings, reflected that back in the 1960s Grant snr, was one of the only two JPs serving the entire Albert Town area.

“I am looking back in the early days, the early 1960s, when I was a young girl, when we had only two justices of the peace in the area, Mr Grant and Mr Hubert Wright, who is not with us now. And, whenever we needed to sign our documents, he (Grant) was always there. No matter how busy he was, he would always take time out to sign those documents and so we are very glad for each and every one of these awardees,” Ricketts expressed.

Meanwhile, in her greetings, Member of Parliament for South Trelawny Marissa Dalrymple Philibert lauded the senior JPs for the sacrifices they have made to deliver invaluable, voluntary services. She noted that at times JPs were taken for granted by citizens.

“Very often we the people around abuse our justices of the peace. Because we don’t make an appointment, we don’t call and say I am coming, we don’t do anything, we just turn up. And when we turn up we expect that they are going to deal with us immediately and any other business that they are doing, they must stop,” Dalrymple Philibert said.

“I want to thank them and I do so with all my heart. Thank them for the self-sacrificing work that they have done over these years, with absolutely no fee at all.”

Guest speaker, Assistant Commissioner of Police Bishop Dr Gary Welch, head of the Community Safety and Security Branch (CSSB), also hailed the awardees for their voluntary services.

“That’s a long time and a lot of years for people to collectively give voluntary service. This is indeed commendable,” ACP Welch remarked.